Patent GB-1384864-A (GB)
Title: Two stage gasification of pretreated coal
IPC: C07C67/00
Filed: 1973-03-20
Abstract: 1384864 Coal gasification BITUMINOUS COAL RESEARCH Inc 20 March 1973 [23 March 1972] 13286/73 Heading C5E Coal is gasified by, in sequence, (i) pretreating a coal feed in a pretreatment zone with a hydrogen-rich gas mixture containing hydrogen, methane and oxides of carbon at 600-950 F.; (ii) introducing the pretreated coal from step (i) into the second stage of a two-stage coal gasification reactor; (iii) reacting the pretreated coal in the second stage with super-heated steam and a synthesis gas comprising hydrogen and oxides of carbon at at least 1600 F. and at least 50 atmospheres pressure; (iv) withdrawing from the second stage a partially gasified char suspended in a hydrogen-rich product gas stream comprising hydrogen, methane and oxides of carbon; (v) separating the char from the hydrogen-rich product gas stream; (vi) feeding at least part of the separated partially gasified char to the first stage of the two-stage gasification reactor; (vii) contacting the partially gasified char in the first stage with superheated steam and oxygen at at least 2500 F. and at least 50 atmospheres pressure thereby to produce a slag and a synthesis gas comprising hydrogen and the oxides of carbon; (viii) separating the slag and passing the synthesis gas to the second stage for reaction with the pretreated coal and superheated steam in step (iii); (ix) recycling part of the hydrogen-rich product gas obtained in step (iv) or as separated in step (v) to step (i) for pretreating the feed coal; and (x) purifying and methanating the remainder of the hydrogen-rich product gas to yield a methanated fuel gas stream containing at least 70% by volume, e.g. at least 90% of methane. Pretreatment (i) may be effected at a pressure higher than that maintained in the second stage of the reactor, with the coal in contact with the hydrogen-rich gas mixture, which may be from step (ix) and having a hydrogen content of at least 40% and a hydrogen partial pressure of 300 to 1000 p.s.i.g., the pretreatment zone taking the form of a fluidized bed with the hydrogen rich gas mixture as fluidizing gas or the gas may be passed through a slurry of the coal in oil. The volatiles from the pretreatment (i) may be fed to the second stage with the pretreated coal or may be separated from the solids and condensed at ambient temperature, the condensate thereafter being introduced into the second stage of the reactor, and the gaseous residue being admixed with the hydrogen-rich product gas from the gasification reactor prior to purification in step (x). In the pretreatment (i), the coal may be contacted with the hydrogen-rich gas in two successive stages, in the first of which the feed coal is contacted, e.g. at about 730 F., with a stream of hot hydrogen-rich product gas from step (iv) and still having char entrained therein, thereby to produce a pretreatment char, a portion of which is withdrawn and premixed with the coal feed to the first stage and the rest of which is withdrawn and introduced into the second pretreatment stage, the pretreatment char in the second pretreatment stage being reacted at a temperature higher than in the first stage, e.g. about 810 F., with a stream of hydrogen-rich product gas from step (iv), still having char entrained therein and being mixed, prior to introduction into the second stage, with cold gas obtained from a water gas shift reaction performed as part of the purification process of step (x); the residence time in both stages being about 20 minutes. Alternatively, pretreatment (i) is carried out in a succession of zones each having a successively higher temperature within a range of 600 to 950 F. with the temperature in each successive zone controlled by introducing into each zone cold gas obtained from a water gas shift reaction and subsequent carbon dioxide removal performed as part of the purification process of step (x); a porticn of the coal treated in one or more zones may be recycled to a preceding zone or zones. Again, pretreatment (i) may comprise at least three pretreatment zones, maintained at successive temperatures in the range 700-925 F., the flow rates through each zone being such that the heating rate of the coal within each zone is not more than five degrees Fahrenheit per minute, and wherein pretreated coal from the last pretreatment zone is recycled to the first zone to maintain a temperature in the first zone of at least 700 F. When the coal is pretreated as a slurry in oil, e.g. oil to coal ratio of 1 to 1À25, the product stream from the pretreatment step is separated at an elevated temperature into a liquid phase containing oil and the pretreated coal, and a vapour phase, feeding the liquid phase with steam to the second stage of the reactor, condensing the vapour phase at ambient temperature, recycling the condensate to the pretreatment stage and mixing the remaining vapour with the hydrogen-rich product gas from the reactor prior to purification. An increasing temperature gradient within the range of 600-950 F., is maintained within the oil slurry pretreatment zone, the control being effected by introducing into the zone at various intervals a cold gas obtained from a water gas shift reaction and subsequent carbon dioxide removal performed as a part of the purification process of step (x); the temperature gradient in the pretreatment zone extends from an entry temperature of about 795 F. to an exit temperature of about 900 F. and wherein the hot separation step is effected at about 850 F.